Fear is an Emotion Best Kept in Check
by NormalityIsNotInMyPersonality
Summary: Even with fear, there is a light present, as if an angel is sitting on your shoulder, kindly guiding you in a direction that will eventually lead you out of this terror and into the sanity that you once possessed. This light is what guided her to him, this light is and, upon a later realization, would always be. Few possess this light but one goes by the name of Naruto Uzumaki.


**Fear is an Emotion Best Kept in Check**

_by__:__ NormalityIsNotInMyPersonality_

_Monsters could surround you in a way no human ever could. There is no place to feel safe, there is nowhere to run or hide, you are in a constant state of fear, of vulnerability. This continual attack on your very soul could force you to the edge, killing you. Or... Making you the same as them. It is this fear, this raw emotion, that forces your feet to freeze, your heart to race and your eyes to go wild. Nothing looks normal, everything is warped by this powerful emotion. Branches become hands, animals become clawed and fanged, shadows turn into dark pits that could swallow you whole._

_Even with fear, there is a light present, as if an angel is sitting on your shoulder, kindly guiding you in a direction that will eventually lead you out of this terror and into the sanity that you once possessed. This light is what guided her to him, this light is and, upon a later realization, would always be. Few possess this light but one goes by the name of Naruto Uzumaki._

**Chapter 1: The Fear**

It was days like today that made Naruto almost regret his choice in clothing. With the sun beating down on his head, the jumper, even open to let the hot air out, was making him feel like a roasting pig. With the mission still at hand, there was no chance for him to cool off in a stream or lake, it was too much of a risk. Tsunade had finally allowed for him to do an A ranked mission, there was no way he was going to screw up his chance now. Unfortunately, his mission involved a rather large box, which once again, was not really assisting in keeping the heat off. If anything it was making him even more sweaty and hot.

He had gone like this for well over four hours now and the temptation to stop was starting to push aside his will power and reasoning. The sound of a stream was nearly enough to cause the final snap and Naruto's understanding of the importance of this mission just about flew out the window. However it was a loosing battle as eventually, the young man's steel like will at completing the mission successful left him, not even bothering to wave good-bye as the older teenager sprinted for the trees and the hopefully offer in the air to cool down.

The forest was thick and dense but Naruto quickly found the stream entering the into a clearing. A lake stretched out before him, the boy grinned, his teeth all showing, as he began to set down the box. The coolness was so close he could almost taste it, even the cool breeze coming off the small lake was whispering in his ear, urging him on. A voice hollered at the back of his mind, stabbing his brain with reasoning. Tsunade's demand at him completing the mission.

"Baa-chan will kill me if I stray from the mission..." Closing his eyes and scratching his head, Naruto began to imagine the meeting that would ensue upon arriving at Kohona, not only late but wet as well. Baa-chan would remove his ability to do higher ranking missions, Sakura would surely punch him through a wall, Iruka would give him the scolding of his life and he wouldn't be rewarded with ramen as was promised when he finally received a higher ranked mission.

A groan escaped his lips as the thoughts flew through his head, it was a no win situation as far as he was concerned. He could be sweltering hot or he could be cool, he would then be scolded or he could be rewarded with ramen. It was a frustrating situation to say the least for the 16 year old. He sighed and began to shift the box back onto his back, "Maybe Sakura was right, I am getting more grown-up." But something stopped him mid step to turn away from the lake.

A sound, similar to a fire storm, was slowly growing louder. Any animals Naruto could see or sense in the area were turning in fear and running for their lives. Everything in Naruto told him to run, his sweat rolled down his skin, no longer from heat but pure terror. The only thing keeping him rooted was the dark bond with Kurama, the nine tailed fox. His voice quickly penetrating through the fog of fear.

_Do not run boy! This monster thrives on your fear, hold it and control it! If it controls you, we will die!_ Naruto had never heard the urgency in Kyuubi's voice before, the prickling of his skin... As if Kyuubi was also afraid of whatever was approaching them.

"W-w-what..." it was as if the very words were stuck to him, clinging to him in terror. The roar grew tenfold and Naruto released momentarily from the freezing fear, grasped onto the nearest tree, bracing himself for impact, eyes squeezed shut in anticipation for what was about to come. It was overwhelming, his ear drums felt like they were bleeding and the very thought of, well, anything was forced from his mind, only to be consumed by the fear.

Then sudden bliss. Naruto opened his eyes and time stopped. Falling into the mirror shaped lake, was a blood-red serpent like-lizard with an elongated neck, a dog shaped head and bat wings, it's long tail flowing out behind him as he descended head first toward the lake. Naruto's eyes strayed to the creatures back where a woman was perched. Naruto had never seen someone like her before, she was as foreign as the creature she rode. Pale skin, flaming red hair that seemed to match Naruto's friend Gaara's own flaming mass, her clothes were black and covered in a black plate armor of sorts, the back of her long coat flying out behind her like black angel wings as the pair descended. Naruto stared as the woman turned her head slightly, a deep forest green meeting his own blue ones. The fear was forced out of his chest in a matter of heart beats.

The world exploded a second later, trees snapped and Naruto went flying, the wind picking him up as if he were no more than a leaf, water sloshed onto him from the lakes surface and it took all his will to fold onto the box in his hand. The wind howled it's unstoppable rage, forcing tree limbs and brush on top of him in his struggle to not get to far dragged away by the wind.

But as swiftly as the wind had risen, it was silenced. Pushing aside debris and struggling past fallen trees, Naruto stared into the now empty clearing. The lake had been removed in the flurry of wind, its rocky bottom showing deep scars from the strong anger filled blasts. Above it hovered the red lizard, his massive wings out stretched, holding his large, elegantly shaped body just above the surface of where the lake water used to be. Lizard and rider had their back to him, both were tense, waiting. The wind hit in the next few seconds and Naruto was forced to duck his head against the debris flying towards him.

Forcing his head up, he was once again swept up in the fear from before, holding him in a tight unwavering grasp. Naruto dragged his eyes to above the lizard where a dark mass whirled, picking up the wind, it seemed to dive and doggedly whirl, looking at the lizard, as if to find a hole in it's calm defense. The lizard itself seemed to process a calm face, his heated amber eyes only seeming to show a deep fire of anger. The woman on the lizards back was poised to fight, her hand placed on the large sword laying the length of her back, a slight bit of blade showed between hilt and sheath and Naruto had a hard time dragging his eyes away from the deep blackness that the blade seemed to possess, as if it were sucking in the very life of the world into it.

The dark mass dived and the lizard rolled through the air, easily gliding by it's attack before rising up above the dark and diving into the black. For what felt like hours but must have only been a matter of minutes, lizard, rider and darkness battled. Flashes of red could be seen in it's torrent winds and Naruto could have sworn that he saw the black life sucking blade gliding through the darkness more than once, absorbing the black. Naruto stare was caught by the battle for the longest time, his eyes locked on what was happening above the empty lake. The wind was harsh and he felt as if his face was being removed and his body would be pulled off the ground by the raw power but he could not take his eyes off of the battle. He felt like something great was resting on the outcome of this event.

Suddenly the woman and lizard were thrown away from the black mass and Naruto watched as the dark blackness streaked into the air and out of sight, taking the freezing fear with it. The lizard thing held itself in the air until the blackness had completely vanished from sight before landing lightly on the ground, his body laying flat-out with a thumping sound, his head dipping slightly as if exhausted. The woman riding on his back, flopping against him, even from this distance, Naruto could see the quick rise and fall of her back with her labored breathing. Naruto slowly pulled himself up and away from the trees, placing his mission on the nearest log before leaping towards the creature.

Seconds later he regretted his decision as a whip like tail shot out and hit him flat in the chest, sending his tumbling along the ground into a log. The lizard glared at him, eyes like molten lava swirling in his amber depths. Slowly Naruto lifted his body up off the ground and stood. Ready to face the lizard thing.

"Hey!" Naruto cried in his customary fashion, "What are you and what was that black thing!?" Naruto blurted, glaring right back at the beast. The lizard regarded him for a second, as if considering how to answer the question.

"That was a Fearling." Well. That was the last thing Naruto expected out of that mouth full of canines. The lizards voice was so elegant and well spoken, as if he were a rich prince or a noble, each word carefully chosen in his response. Lazily the creature crossed his front clawed forelegs, the action reminded Naruto somewhat of Tsunade, as she briefed him on a mission or was scolding him.

"So what are you?" The lizard-thing raised the eyebrow like scaling above his eye, his elegant head dipping in interest.

"I am a Drake, my name is Echo." The lizard, Echo, watched him calmly before nodding his head at him, urging him to respond to his own question. "And you, young one?"

Naruto blinked dumbly before puffing out his chest and beat a fist above his heart. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Echo watched him, slowly bring his massive head forward to look Naruto in the eye.

"Uzumaki?" Naruto started at the female voice coming from the back of the lizard. He had almost forgot about the fiery red head, she hadn't moved from her collapse position on Echo's back but her head was turned enough to look at him, green eyes locked onto him. It gave him the creepy shivers.

"Yeah..." She stared at him, almost coldly, but had a similar interest to that of the lizard. "Who are you?" he felt the accusation slip into his tone.

"El." There was no last name and Naruto got the feeling that the woman did not want to be on more than a first name bases. However, the lizard seemed more keen on learning more from or about him, he wasn't sure which yet.

"Uzumaki, do many people populate this island of yours?" a rush of what felt like pride swept through Naruto, he couldn't figure out why but it felt like he was receiving a great privilege by being addressed by his last name.

"Sure, tons of people. Lots of villages, mostly citizens but a good population of ninja too." Echo blinked, fascinated, Naruto could tell by the look of wonder in the lizards eyes.

"There are ninja here?" Naruto put on a toothy smile and nodded his head.

"Sure, lots!" he stated proudly. The lizard nodded his head enthusiastically, turning it slightly to make eye contact with the woman, what's her name? El. Turning to make eye contact with El.

"This place must be where he's from El, it would explain the language and the boys ability to withstand the Fearlings aurora." El looked slightly disinterested, but there was a flicker of acceptance of the information in her eyes.

"Who's from?" the question seemed to catch in the air, as if the air itself was too thick for it to pass through. Lizard and rider turned to look at him, the pain was evident on their faces and Naruto allowed the question to die before it was answered. He knew when a subject was off-limits, or, was at least learning to see the barrier better. "He was a good friend?"

Echo nodded, his head dipping solemnly, "He was, with our people it is against our way to speak of the deceased name, my apologies." But Naruto forced a smile and nodded his head.

"No worries, I understand!" He jumped down so he was closer to the lizard but felt the beast tense up. He saw the weary look in both of them and understood their lack of trust of him. "Where are you guys heading?" He asked tentatively.

"West." Naruto got the feeling the El was not a woman of many words.

Echo snorted at El, almost as if scolding her for being rude. "We are heading the sands in the west, our Friend came from there and in his time of passing wished to return to the heat and sand." Echo sounded wistful at the idea of travelling to this place.

"Well you were heading the wrong way, it's that way." Naruto said pointing towards the desert he knew to be a two days journey away.

"We are well aware of that." El stated and received another snort from Echo, this time he whispered something at her in a different language causing her to glare at him.

"We had not realized the Fearling would push us so off course, we did not think that they existed here." Echo stated, his voice kind, a strong contrast to the woman.

Naruto thought - for about a second - the information over on what the pair knew about the Fearling and being able to learn more about the woman and lizard themselves, before making decision. "Let me show you to my village. I'm sure Baa-chan can figure out a way to help."

**End of Chapter 1: The Fear**

Author: _NormalityIsNotInMyPersonality_  
Chapter Release Date: _July 08, 2013_  
Author's Note: _Read and Review if you enjoyed, criticize if you feel something needs to change, feel free to tell me corrections needed in grammar and spelling, thank you for your time._


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